Come What May
by bloemhoffan3000
Summary: Rachel Berry is slowly changing...into a werewolf. Eventual Faberry. Other main pairing is Brittana. Chapter 14 added!
1. Chapter 1

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N1: This is going to be slow, so be prepared. Enjoy, and please review!**

Chapter 1: Never knew I could feel like this.

Her shredded bed-sheets laying on display on their coffee-table stopped Rachel in her tracks. The front door closed behind her, as she entered the livingroom. She looked from the table to her dads- both staring at her, with folded arms- and back again.

"What's, um, what's going on?" she asked, confusion and fear warring in her eyes.

Hiram and LeRoy Berry seemed to share a look of significance, before pointing her to a seat. She sat primly, taking in their serious expressions, biting her bottom lip in apprehension. Of course, she recognised those sheets. They were unfortunately not the first sheets Rachel's had to throw away. But this was the first time her dads had found them. The quiet was broken when Hiram removed his glasses with a sigh.

Yet it was LeRoy who spoke. "How long?"

She could only shrug, slightly uneasy. Her father sounded nervous, and it was not something she was used to.

"What about dreams? Have you had any strange-"

"What?" she interrupted him, suspicious now. Did they know what was going on with her? Why she woke up with broken nails, tangled in shredded sheets?

Hiram must have noticed her anxiety, because he finally spoke too, reaching for her hands. "Rachel, honey, just listen to your daddy for a second, okay? This is- it's really important. So please, just listen sweetie."

She squeezed his hands tightly, suddenly afraid to hear what was coming. She had been content to keep pretending that things were fine; that she was only imagining it all, but now she could not hide anymore. Her only consolation was that her fathers knew what was happening to her, and would help her through it; whatever it was.

Everything would be fine. As long as she had her family, everything would be fine.

R# #GLEE# #Q

She doesn't remember exactly when the dreams started, only that they always ended the same. Broken nails, shredded sheets, muscles aching, and strange flashes of colour lingering on the insides of her eyelids. Glimpses of images assault her during the day; disjointed visions of trees whipping past, too-bright stars twinkling overhead, like diamonds in a velvet sky.

Undefined smells that she tastes on the air, and seem to linger on her tongue. She swears she can hear sounds of creatures growing; feel the very earth, trembling with joy beneath her feet.

And calls of such longing her tears flow without consent.

The calls have captured her attention the most. She equates it to the way music affects her; it captivates and intrigues her, touching her intimately. Now, she is pre-occupied with finding the reasons for the often mournful calls in her dreams, and can't seem to focus on her schoolwork. Naturally, her grades have begun to suffer. It is one of the reasons she has refrained from discussing these occurrences with her fathers. Her impromptu crying sessions have already been noticed, earning her a visit to the office of guidance counselor, Miss Emma Pillsbury. Luckily she had not needed their permission.

All in all, her dreams were making her a mess. And she had no one to turn to; no one to whom she could explain her behaviour. Unless she confided in her fathers. But the thought just made her panic. She would then have to come clean about her failing grades, and the urge she sometimes got to follow the calls of the night. And especially the arrival of her menses, after waiting impatiently for three years.

"This is where a mother could come in really handy," she whispered, blushing hotly at that last thought.

It's the first words she's spoken since she burst in the door, and questioned the presence of her sheets in the livingroom. Her dad, Hiram, chuckled softly, offering her a glass of water. He had noticed the addition of tampons to Rachel's shopping, but had not commented on it, knowing it would embarrass his normally very open-minded daughter.

She rolled her eyes at hearing his chuckle, and knew instinctively that he knew about her new ... condition. She sipped the water slowly, determined to avoid any eye contact. But she couldn't hide forever, and she knew it.

"What in the name of Barbra is going on, dads?" she asked. "And please can we not mention how I've finally become a woman?" she added, ducking her head.

"Oh, baby girl, we know," her daddy, LeRoy said, joining her on the couch. She snuggled into his side, her head pillowed on his sturdy chest. He was watching Hiram smiling indulgently opposite them, still holding on to Rachel's hands.

"You're actually right," LeRoy said softly, trailing his hand through Rachel's long hair. It was something he used to do that soothed both of them, and he relished the opportunity to do it now. They would need all the help they could get to see them through this.

He inhaled the scent of her hair, before clearing his throat. No more stalling. "Your mother's name is Shelby Corcoran. She left you a letter explaining what's happening to you, what it means. When you're ready, she's waiting for you."

Rachel's brows were drawn in confusion. This was not what she had been expecting to hear, at all. She had known of course that she had a mother out there, obviously. But that her dads had kept in contact with her? And why didn't they tell her?

"Uh, waiting for me?" she questioned. "What do you mean?"

LeRoy hmmed. "Maybe you should read the letter first, honey," he suggested softly. "Your dad and I will be here once you're done, and we'll answer any questions you have. Just, trust that we love you, and we're here for you, always."

He punctuated his words with a kiss on her head. Across them, Hiram nodded his agreement. Always, he mouthed. Then he joined in the family hug, before letting go to lean over and reach for an envelope on the table. She hadn't noticed it before in her confusion. She watched her dad's hand shaking as he held it out to her. She folded her hand around the plain envelope, feeling as though her world was about to end.

And she was right.

**A/N2: I don't own Glee. I don't own Come What May. I don't own Moulin Rouge. I just love all of these, and hope to add to the wonderful world of Faberry/Achele!**


	2. Chapter 2

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N1: This story is currently under construction, so please bear with me. New chapter edits/updates will be announced in the summary. Read and enjoy and review. That's an order!**

Chapter 2: Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place

Shelby Corcoran.

She tested her mother's name on her tongue while opening the envelope. It was plain and white, and inside she found two folded sheets of paper, also plain and white. It made her wonder if she really came from someone with so little personality, but only for a moment. Rachel recognised that she was merely seeking to prolong the inevitable, and shook her head at herself. Even if Shelby has no imagination, nor any artistic notions, she was still somehow a part of her. A part that was only a breath away.

R#GLEE#Q

Sophomore year was shaping up to be a year of firsts for Rachel Berry.

She had gotten her period. She had felt no need to celebrate this momentuous occasion, nor acknowledge it to her parents. It was a significant event only in the sense that it invalidated any reference to her supposed non-female gender. The insults and name-calling that alluded to her reproductive system had not really bothered her; well maybe a little. But only because it made her anxious about the lack of such a big development in her physiology, and the possibility of an illness which prohibited her growth would be detrimental to her future.

Another first: she finally had a real relationship with her birth-mother. Heck, she finally had a real mother! It was a big enough deal to the young diva that she wished she had real friends to share it with, but alas. No one would know how Shelby Corcoran had become Rachel's confidant after the summer spent just getting to know the older woman. There wasn't anyone she could explain to that; while she knew they would never share a typical mother-daughter connection -despite many efforts on both sides- their special friendship was enough. That it helped to reassure Hiram and LeRoy when Shelby didn't try to become another parent to Rachel; they were and would always be that to the girl.

"I'm just fine bein' the crazy aunt," she'd told them with a smile. And that was true, mostly. Although in a position to adequately support and care for a child, Shelby felt no urge for motherhood, and was perfectly content in her role. She became a confidant-slash-girl-friend to Rachel, as well as her mentor in all things werewolf.

Her letter had explained Rachel's 'heritage'- her strange dreams, the shredded sheets and broken nails, the sudden cravings for meat. As a vegansince age 8, the cravings had caught Rachel off-guard, and it had been difficult to accept, but as her understanding of her wolf-side grew, her reluctance to comply faded. She refused to eat pork though, in deference to her faith.

An email address and mobile phone number had been included in the letter, and after reading it two more times, Rachel had called. Her fathers had been true to their word, and had allowed her to come to them when she felt ready. She had closed her bedroom door behind her before reading the letter, and as she waited for Shelby to answer the phone, she opened it again. She wanted fast access to them if needed.

It took ten minutes for Rachel to believe she had found her birth-mother, and several hours to believe her far-fetched story of shape-shifting, sprouting fur and howling at the moon. Her fathers arms cradling her for the entire conversation had helped immensely.

R#GLEE#Q

Her belief in what Shelby had called her heritage was further cemented when she met Wolf-Shelby. Again her fathers were there with her, sharing in this new part of her life. They learnt with Rachel, like they always did when she became interest in anything new. It made what was a terrifying experience, a bit more bearable. She had no reason to hide in her own home anymore.

Her education and experience of all things lycan continued. The dreams still came almost every night, and now with Shelby's help she worked on remembering more about them. Although Rachel had yet to transform fully, she made her dads take pictures once she started sprouting extra hair -fur- and when her nails began to protrude more than usual. She began to notice her senses improving after a particularly embarassing Friday night, and made her parents soundproof her bedroom and theirs.

Her favourite aspect was her new sensitivity to both touch and smell. During the summer with Shelby, they indulged in long walks around the largely wooded neighbourhood. She could revel in all the smells in the air, and laugh at the sensations on her skin. She couldn't wait to experience the world in wolf-form, which Shelby assured her was even better.

She noticed something else as well. Rachel had always loved singing, and Broadway had always been her biggest dream. Now, with her wolf growing, so did her talent it seemed. Her fathers agreed that she wasn't imagining the new richness in her voice, and a proud Shelby confirmed it.

"You're gonna have an awesome howl, baby girl," she enthused, and Rachel knew she was right. She had been entranced by Shelby's voice when they had sung together one night, and her mother's joyous howl later that same evening had brought her to tears.

Once back home in Lima, her family's support and faith in her coupled with her new-found confidence in her voice, encouraged Rachel to try something she'd been to wary to do freshman year. When school started, she signed up for glee club.

**A/N2: I'm gonna keep the physical development of Rachel's wolf pretty slow. All the stories out there where the wolf's already established is great, but this is my wolf, and she's a late bloomer. You might have noticed that it coincides with someone else who's a late bloomer.**


	3. Chapter 3

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N: Yep, another edit done. Hopefully this still fits in with chapters that follow, and helps to keep the fic from feeling disjointed. This is a multi-chapter story, not a bunch of vaguely connected drabbles/one-shots. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?

By Friday, Rachel Berry thought her wolf was freaking awesome! She had not only aced her glee club audition, but also made new friends. And yes, she may have been slushied on their first day back, and the icy drink may have tasted horrible to her now more discerning palate, but still! Friends! Plus, singing now gave her an incomparable rush, and when the other auditionees sang with her, she was bursting with joy! This was what she'd been looking for all along: this place, these peole. Singing their hearts out for all to hear. And it was all thanks to her wolf!

There was one drawback of her new wolf-side though, and she discovered it quite by accident. A strange odour that tickled her nose on that Monday afternoon, as she made her way past the choir room. She could almost see it, lingering around Sandy Ryerson and his student, like smoke.

"Pheromones," Shelby told her over the phone. Apparently, every person had them, like a unique scent that identified you. She had taken to having her cellphone available at all times; there was so many new experiences now, with her growing wolf-side, and she was always excited when aspects of her dual nature presented itself.

It would have been just another new thing to test, except there was an obviously uncomfortable Hank Saunders by the piano, and she didn't like the look of that hand there, on his front. You had no reason to put any kind of pressure there; not to sing better anyway. If there was one thing Rachel knew, it was pressure on the diaphragm. So she did what any other student would do, and reported the inappropriate behaviour to Principal Figgins. Hank's subsequent resignation from all things glee only served to confirm her allegations, and Ryerson was fired. This further indicated to the young diva that now would indeed be her time to shine in glee-club, and show off her talent. And begin testing her new 'ability'.

Cheerleaders Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce, her first test subjects, were all over each other. And Noah Puckerman. She stared at the trio as they passed her in the hallway, nearly walking into a wall at one point. Their 'smoke' intertwined like vines; it was mesmerizing.

The guidance counselor kept her office free from any and all scents. It smelled only faintly of Miss Pillsbury: pine, and disinfectant. Her 'smoke' was just a wispy tendril, like she had been starving it of stimuli in her cleaning efforts.

Will Schuester, the Spanish teacher and new glee-club advisor, smelled like hair product, and musk. He was also slightly tinged with bleach, like Miss Pillsbury's office had rubbed off on him. His 'smoke' was brazen, and reached out to everything constantly. She couldn't maintain eye-contact with the man, at all.

Fellow glee-clubbers Artie Abrams and Tina Cohen-Chang had informed her that they were dating, but they needn't have bothered. The fact was she could smell their scents were all over each other. Also, Tina was so faking her stutter, which made her sad. The girl had seemed so intimidating with her Goth-look, and then she hid behind a speech-impediment. Ugh.

Kurt Hummel, underneath his cologne and hairspray, smelled like freshly laundered sheets, and had ended up avoiding Rachel for the rest of the day once he caught her strangely wide smile. She had been taking in lungfulls of Kurt-smell while walking behind him, and his rather sparkly 'smoke' was very pretty; she couldn't help herself.

Then there was Finn Hudson.

She had no idea how Mr Schue had managed to get him to audition for glee-club. Finn was on the football team with Noah, but he didn't smell like the two cheerleaders like Noah did. He smelled of earth, wood and trees and outside. She wanted to invite him to run through a field of wildflowers with her, like the paths Shelby had shown her that summer. He would make a perfect partner, she thought, taking another sly whiff. His 'smoke' wasn't overwhelming like Mr Schuee's, and didn't seem to reach out for anyone else's. Best of all, he was the closest match to her vocal talent. She'd gotten goosebumps during his audition, and when they'd sung together, Rachel had been unable to stop smiling. She was inlove!

But Finn had a girlfriend. Quinn Fabray, HBIC, Captain of the cheerleaders, President of the celibacy club, perfectly blonde and perfectly beautiful. And an A-grade bitch.

Quinn smelled like old flowers. Stale and dry and utterly lifeless.

Her smiles were fake; filled with disdain when she thought no one was looking.

Her manners were atrocious, except when she wanted something.

Her heart was cold and rotten and completely void of all feeling.

And when she touched Finn she made Rachel Berry growl.

Shelby laughed at her observations. "It sounds like your wolf's a little territorial. Did anyone hear you?"

Rachel felt herself blush for some reason. "No, of course not. They were talking a few spaces from my locker, and it just... came out. Their 'smoke' didn't even touch," she added with a scoff.

"Smoke? Was this outside? But you said lockers so-"

Rachel cut her off with a smile. "No, no, I mean their individual 'smoke' like their essences or whatever."

"Oh!" Shelby said, laughing again. "You mean auras. Wait, you can see people's auras?"

"Is that bad?" Rachel was suddenly apprehensive. "Isn't that normal, for werewolves I mean. Or is that a derogatory term? Do you prefer lycans? I didn't mean to offend you-"

It was Shelby's turn to interrupt. "No, honey, that's not what I mean. I'm just surprised, that's all. It usually takes a while for that particular skill to develop, and you're still so young."

"So, I'm not supposed to be able to do it yet? Well, I've always been exceptionally gifted, Shelby. I thought you knew this by now."

She wasn't joking, of course, and it felt really good to know that her penchant for overachieving extended to her wolf-side. It made her feel inexplicably closer to that part of herself.

Yep, Rachel Berry''s wolf really was freaking awesome!


	4. Chapter 4

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N1: Thanks to everyone who has favourited, reviewed, and alerted me! Love the love guys! A note on my 'verse: Some pairings and occurrences will be canon, and some won't. Also some stuff might be shuffled around. Here we go!**

Chapter 4: Sing out this song, and I'll be there by your side.

The biggest difference Rachel found between being a real werewolf and the myths movies, tv shows and the internet, was that she (and Shelby obviously) wasn't in any way averse to silver. Which was good, since she would have hated never being able to wear the silver Star of David her dads got her for her bat mitzvah.

"So, what superpowers DO we have?" The pair was camping in a park close to Shelby's house. After discovering her aptitude for pheromones and auras, she had begged her mother for more 'lessons' over the weekend. Shelby had suggested camping outside to acqaint Rachel with nature; an element her wolf would require much exposure to.

Shelby's chuckle brought a smile to Rachel's face. "We don't have superpowers, sweetie." They were sitting together, watching their small campfire, and roasting marshmallows; a first for the Broadway-bound singer.

"We're not 'real' wolves," Shelby continued, air-quotes and all, "we don't spend our days roaming the wilds, hunting to feed the pack. We are very human, Rachel. We still have human wants and needs, and emotions."

"Like rage?" Rachel questioned. "I've read that werewolves get into these murderous rages where they slaughter townspeople and have to be put down-"

Shelby interrupted the ramble with a sharp: "Rachel! We're not animals! Yes, we get angry, and some people get violent when they're angry, and act out and hurt people, but that's not because they're werewolves. Sadly, that's just human nature sometimes. Please, don't ever think you'll need to be 'put down' okay?"

"Okay," she answered softly. Shelby squeezed her hand in understanding, before motioning for her to continue.

"Full moons have no effect on us?"

"Nope," said with a smirk.

"So... we can change anytime we want?"

Shelby nodded "Yeah. Once you've managed to learn how to control your wolf."

Rachel pulled a face. "And how long does it take to learn control? I mean, I can smell pheromones and see auras already." She was clearly feeling a bit put out that her progress in the area of transforming her body was so lacking.

The older brunette gave her a soft pat on the head, causing Rachel to roll her eyes. "That differs from person to person, sweetie. You just have to be patient." They were quiet after that, just enjoying the breeze, and each others company. After a few moments however, Rachel broke the peace.

"Why did you give me away?" Her voice sounded small and fearful, like she didn't really want to ask, and didn't really want to know the answer. She studiously avoided looking at any part of her mother.

"Oh, honey," Shelby sighed. "I was young, fresh out of high school. I wanted to be on Broadway, or in Hollywood, living the big life. I had no place in that dream for a child," her voice was regretful. "Your father; I mean biologically, of course, wanted us to run away to California together. But then we found out I was pregnant, and I had to tell him about being different in case you came out covered in fur or something-"

"What?" Rachel interrupted, whipping her head around to stare at Shelby. "Are you kidding me? Fur?"

Shelby only smiled, shaking her head at Rachel's dramatic outburst. "I didn't always have all the answers, you know. My parents never liked to talk about it. My father was a wolf, but my mother wasn't. I think I only actually saw him in animal-form one time." She sounded wistful, and sad.

"So, what happened? Did he- did he just leave you?"

Shelby's eyes searched the slowly darkening sky, pursing her lips in thought. She hadn't really thought about Gary in so long. "His name was Gary. We were neighbours and family friends for years. I wanted to share my secret with him so many times, even though Father forbade it. Then our senior year in high school, he asked me to be his Valentine. And we started dating. I was so scared when we... did it, and afterwards, I just took off." She could feel herself flush in embarrassment and shame.

Rachel's small hand suddenly holding hers startled her. "You said his name was Gary."

Shelby could feel the tears prickling her eyes. She wished, not for the first time, that things had been different for them. "We were so young," she said softly, using her free hand to wipe away the tears that were finally falling free. "He said he wasn't ready for a child. He asked if I wanted to... I actually met your dads at the clinic. They were with a girl, a little older than me. She had to have a... She had to terminate cos of complications, and it was like a sign."

A sigh, as she struggled to continue. Rachel's hand clenched tightly in hers. "Hiram went in with her, and I think he cried more than that girl did. And I just knew, he'd be the best dad any child could ever ask for."

She turned to look into Rachel's eyes, silently apologizing for even thinking of having an abortion. "I trailed them out to the parking lot. He was so gentle with her." They were both crying by now.

"LeRoy was waiting outside, smoking. They shared this look, and I just- I stepped up to them and offered them my baby. There was paperwork, of course, and Gary had to sign off on it, but then nobody could find him. He'd left like he wanted to, without me."

"I always pretend that one of them is my biological father," Rachel said quietly. Her hand felt fused to Shelby's. "Which one depended on what they got me for my birthday, or Hannukah." She rested her head on Shelby's shoulder.

"They are all the father you'll ever need, kiddo. Trust me."

"Is he dead?"

Shelby nodded. "He was in an accident. The police found his car a few weeks after I went to the clinic. They suspected he was drunk and went off the road. Thankfully, no one else was involved."

"Can I- I mean, is he buried, or..." she trailed off, not knowing what she wanted to say, or ask. She had fathers, yes, and they were wonderful like Shelby said, but this man, Gary, was also a part of her and she wanted to know him, somehow.

"His parents opted for cremation, and scattered his ashes somewhere on a beach in Santa Monica. They moved there after his death. I guess it was too painful to stay here, with all the memories."

"Wait, here?" Rachel asked, wide-eyed. "In Akron?" She wiped her tear-streaked face, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah; neighbours remember. I inherited our house after my parents passed. I moved back the year you turned thirteen, in case puberty caused your wolf to show. They've been gone about seven years now," she added.

"Do you have pictures?"

Shelby nodded again. "I do. I didn't know if you'd be interested, but I always hoped to show them to you. They are your grandparents after all. Not that I'm trying to be your mom, I mean you have two wonderful parents in Hiram and LeRoy. I'm enjoying getting to know you better, this way, us being closer. I just never expected-"

Rachel's melodious laughter cut off the rest of her ramble. Shelby could only roll her eyes goodnaturedly. Rachel calmed enough to say:

"I like getting to know you too, and learning whatever memories of your parents -my grandparents- that you're willing to share. You are right in that I may not be looking for another parent, but you are my mother. And I'm glad to have you in my life."

The rest of the night was spent trading stories back and forth, with the occasional wolf-lesson thrown in. Rachel learned that Shelby shared her passion for Broadway and performing, and also her love of stars. Her affinity for metaphors apparently came from her father, Gary, which caused Shelby endless amusement. They made plans for Rachel to spend at least one week a month with her mother, learning about her other family, and Shelby invited her to ask her dads to join them.

Saturday was spent paging through old photo albums, with Rachel soaking up as much information as possible. Hiram and LeRoy joined the pair for Sunday lunch, which while awkward turned out quite well in the end. Rachel was as happy as she'd ever been, and only hoped it would last.

**A/N2: I will be editing the rest of the chapters already posted, before updating new chapters. Please be patient, thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**COME WHAT MAY**

Chapter 5: Storm clouds may gather

On Monday Mr Schuester announced he wanted to show the glee club what a real show choir does. He hoped it would inspire his current members, and help them come up with recruitment ideas. They needed at least twelve members to qualify for competitions, and with the Ryerson fallout, they were only five. Sure, he'd managed to trick quarterback Finn Hudson to join, but he couldn't blackmail six more students. And he knew the boy's resolve wouldn't last if glee club became any more unpopular. Privately, Will didn't think that was even possible.

Carmel High was having a showcase for their choir, Vocal Adrenaline that night. He had surprised the kids with tickets, paying for them with his new creditcard, which he hadn't even told his wife about. He knew Terri wouldn't understand; she thought he was trying to hold on to his youth by pursuing this, but Will just wanted these kids to feel the joy of music like he did. Plus, he just knew the evening would be a great success. And he was so right.

The group's performance of songs by Amy Winehouse was without a doubt amazing! The female soloist on 'Rehab' was especially talented. Unfortunately, he hadn't been prepared for their sheer level of awesomeness, and so he hadn't prepared his kids. They were awe-struck, but in a horrified, can't-look-away-even-though-I-desperately-want-to kind of way. All except Rachel.

Mercedes noticed the girl's lack of a shell-shocked appearance, too. "Why are you smiling? Girl, this is supposed to be our competition, and they're murdering us!"

She was even more confused when Rachel got up to congratulate the group. She could only watch as the girl waded through the crowd of proud parents and supporters (fans) towards the gathered teenagers on stage.

"Oh, wow Shelby, that was amazing!" Rachel gushed once she reached the stage, hugging who Will thought might be Vocal Adrenaline's coach. He approached a bit shyly, not understanding what's going on.

"This is Mr Schuester" she intoduced, waving him over enthusiastically. "He's our coach for glee club. We don't really have a name yet," she added to the other woman as an aside. "Mr Schue, this is Shelby Corcoran. She coaches Vocal Adrenaline. And doing such a stellar job," she continued, hugging the older woman again.

Shelby shook Will's hand. "So, should I be concerned that you're here to check out the competition?" She turned a polite smile in Will's direction.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," he answered lamely. The poor man had never felt so out of his depth. Vocal Adrenaline had far surpassed his expectations for this event.

"Not yet," Rachel teased, "but wait until we get our quota of members filled, then we'll talk again. We're only six members to date, but we're working on recruiting more students to join."

Will, and the rest of the glee club who had joined their teammate by now, were dumbfounded by this display. They had never seen her so excited about anyone's presence, or impressed by a performance that wan't her own. It was baffling. Even only really knowing her for a few days, they could tell this was not her usual behaviour.

Kurt decided to bite the bullet, and ask the question on everyone's minds. "How do you guys know each other?" he ventured, waving between Rachel and Shelby.

"Shelby is my birth-mother," came the prompt answer. "We met just before school ended this Spring, and got to know each other better over summer break."

It was Tina who stated the obvious. "You guys do look a lot alike." This was followed by Will and the rest simply staring between the two, agreeing with Tina's assessment.

The moment was awkward until Shelby broke the silence. "Well, I've gotta get back to my team. It was nice to meet you all, and good luck with your glee club." She shook Will's hand, before turning to hug Rachel. "Talk to you soon, sweetie."

As she walked back to her team, everyone turned to stare at Rachel. Artie summed up what they were thinking: "I kinda always thought the whole gay dads thing was a stunt."

She scrunched her forehead in confusion. "Why would I lie about something like that?"

Mercedes shot Rachel a 'duh' look. "Uh, to get attention?" Artie nodded, while Tina shrugged. They were all aware of Rachel's need to constantly be in the spotlight.

"The only thing having two homosexual men for parents ever got me, was a slushie to the face," she deadpanned.

Kurt smirked. "Girl's got a point."

And then they realized the difference it made having a jock in their group dynamic. "Wait, you have two dads?"

Not even Will Schuester could come up with an excuse for the boy's obliviousness. "Everyone knows that, Finn. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course," he quickly added, wincing at his tone. "We should be heading out anyway. It's still a school night."

The drive back to Lima was spent in quiet contemplation for the curly-haired teacher. He might have convinced Principal Figgins to give the club a shot, but if they didn't gain more interest, he might as well not have bothered. He needed a plan. Something to prove the club's worth to the students and their teachers alike. Maybe Terri could help, he thought. It would be the perfect opportunity for them to work on their marriage at the same time.

Rachel for her part was being peppered with questions about Shelby and Vocal Adrenaline. Kurt and Mercedes were determined to get all the details, vague though they were. Tina and Artie joined in, offering their opinions and advice. The only member not participating was Finn.

He still couldn't figure out how two dudes made a kid together.

R #GLEE# #Q

Glee club didn't meet on Tuesdays, which suited Will Schuester just fine. He needed the time to come up with a way to lift their spirits. The mood after watching Vocal Adrenaline on Monday night, had been bad, very bad. It seemed the only one unaffected was Rachel. She had breezed through her day, as peppy as ever.

"Why are you not depressed?" Kurt questioned her sourly. The group were waiting after school for Mr Schue. He apparently had a very important announcement that couldn't wait until their next meeting, which was Wednesdays after lunch.

"Cheer up, fellow glee-clubbers! Yes, Vocal Adrenaline were fantastic at Monday evening's showcase, but let's not forget they've been the National Show Choir Champions for the past three years!"

"Was that supposed to make us feel better?" Artie asked, raising a hand in question. "Cos it didn't." He exchanged looks of disbelief with Tina.

"All I'm saying is, they have experience on their side." Rachel stood up to face the four other teens in the room. "But I can assure you, when they started they were just as bad as we are."

"I don't think you understand the definition of cheering us up," Mercedes said, frowning at the brunette. Luckily they were spared any further of Rachel' attempts to motivate them when Mr Schuester entered the choir room.

"Okay, guys, I've got great news." He clapped his hands together once, looking each of them in the eye. "Wait, where's Finn?"

Shrugs all round. "We don't exactly hang out with him, Mr Schue" Kurt said softly.

"But he's part of the club," Mr Schue said, clearly not understanding the problem. "You're a team now, guys."

"He might be singing with us in glee club, but that doesn't mean he suddenly likes us, Mr Schue" Mercedes said. The rest of them all nodded knowingly in agreement.

"But I thought-"

He was interrupted by Rachel. "Wake up, Mr Schue. We are considered losers at this school. No one who's even remotely popular would be seen consorting with us in any way, especially not quarterback Finn Hudson. The only reason anyone popular tolerated Mr Ryerson's questionable behaviour in glee club was because they were being blackmailed. We all know he told Hank Saunders he sounded like a pre-pubescent ballet dancer."

"Who's Hank Saunders?" Tina whispered to Artie, who shrugged in response. He hadn't known about Mckinley's glee club until Tina asked him to help her practice.

"Be that as it may," Mr Schue tried to regain control of the group. "My announcement is... I've decided on a name!" He actually waited for applause- none was forthcoming- before continuing with, "the New Directions!"

"No," Rachel said flatly. "It sounds like you're saying nude erections. That's a terrible name, Mr Schue."

"No it's not!" the teacher protested. "It's a great name, and perfect for us. We are taking the glee club, and Mckinley High's so-called losers into a new direction! We are going to prove that being in glee club can be cool. That the arts are every bit as fun, exciting and important as sports."

"Except that the only person who makes that statement remotely true is not even here."

Mr Schue actually looked pained that he had no way to refute Rachel's claim. He couldn't give up though, and he wouldn't allow his kids to give up either.

"I'm going to ask Principal Figgins to let us perform at the assembly next Friday. That way we have a week to try and recruit more members."

"Sure," Mercedes snarked, "more losers. Just what the Nude Erections need."


	6. Chapter 6

**COME WHAT MAY**

Chapter 6: Seasons may change, Winter to Spring

Wednesday morning found Rachel Berry approaching the day with a plan. She had discussed the glee-club's dilemma with her fathers and Shelby, and after extensive research (mostly Google) had decided on a course of action. She would attempt to use her wolf-senses to scope out potential new members, and personally invite them to join the club.

Unfortunately, her plan did not include a slushy-facial. She was hit just before the bell rang for her first class. Hockey players David Karofsky and Azimio Adams high-fived each other, before walking away from their latest -and favourite- victim. At least it wasn't the notoriously hard to clean cherry.

It became clear as the day progressed that someone had put a hit on the kids in glee-club. Tina was locked in one of the many janitor-closets for an hour, before being rescued. Poor Artie missed most of his pre-lunch classes because some of the football jocks had locked him in a PortaPotty. Mercedes and Kurt were trapped in their shared gym class, tied up together in the girls locker room. The only member exempt from the harsh treatment was Finn.

Glee met after lunch on Wednesdays, but Rachel and Mr Schue were the only ones present. The message it seemed had been heard loud and clear. The dimunitive diva was disappointed, but not discouraged. She used the unexpected free time in the choir room to practice songs for their performance at the assembly. She knew one perfect idea would be all it took to get everyone behind the New Directions. And she wouldn't stop until she found it.

The quiet of the choir room did give her one idea. They needed live music.

"Don't we have a band?" she asked her teacher. Mr Schue was in his office, unsuccessfully trying to add to his Spanish lesson plans.

"What? Rachel, we barely have a budget for this club. How are we supposed to pay for a live band?"

Rachel looked at him like he was crazy. "I meant the school, Mr Schue. Doesn't Mckinley have a band? I seem to remember seeing a flyer on the bulletin board once. I thought about joining freshman year, but felt my talents would be better exposed in the medium of show choir."

Will was... unimpressed. "I guess."

But the seed had been planted. Rachel immediately texted Artie, the only member she knew actually played an instrument. He replied after a few minutes.

"Artie doesn't think they'd be interested, especially given our experiences today, but he'll ask anyway. I hope they agree. This could be exactly what we need."

Rachel's optimism was rewarded when most of the jazz band showed up at the choir room, Artie's wheelchair rolling with them. The rest of their glee period was spent arranging the space in the best possible manner. They now had the use of a live band, which included a highly competent piano player, bass-, acoustic-, and electrical guitars, various percussive instruments, and a complete set of drums.

It was this last piece of equipment that lured their elusive sixth member back to the room he had been avoiding. It appeared Finn Hudson was a big fan.

"These are great!" he enthused while tapping out a beat. Artie joined him on his guitar, soon coaxing Mr schue out of his office with his melody.

"Wow. We have a band," he said incredulous. Rachel beamed proudly.

Now all they needed was more members. She spent the rest of her day trying to find potential students to join glee club. The pickings unfortunately were very slim. Between the scandal of Sandy Ryerson's atrocious behaviour, and the five current members loser-status, no one was interested.

Except one.

"I'd gladly join you, my luscious Queen, for a small favour." Jacob Ben Israel, commonly refered to as JewFro, was practically panting.

"What do you want, Jacob?" Rachel asked wearily. Could she really tolerate having her stalker in such close proximity, just for a stupid school club? Just on the slightest chance that her talent will be recognised?

"All I ask is a small, insignificant token. Shall we say, a kiss? On the lips would be preferable," he added, leering at the asset in question.

No, she could not.

Rachel heaved a sigh of relief, and disgust. "No way, no how. Forget it Jacob. Now, leave me alone!"

"You're gonna regret turning me down, Rachel," he snivelled, watching her walk away. His dreamy appreciation of the view was rudely interrupted by a slushy to the face. Who needed cold showers anyway?

Rachel finally had to admit defeat. No one in their right minds would willingly join the New Directions. The dream it seemed would be over before it even begun. She trudged to her locker at the end of the day, wallowing in her failure. The only bright spot had been seeing Finn enjoy the drumset in the choir room. She smiled fondly at the recollection. He had been free from worrying about his reputation, and being cool or popular in those few minutes. She wished he could have been free from his burdens for a little while longer.

It was a difficult choice for most, she knew. The choice between doing what is expected of you, and doing what makes you happy. For her, the choice was always between being herself, or hiding. And while choosing differently would have spared her countless slushies, dumpster-dives, and cruel names, she would have felt like a fraud. Rachel Barbra Berry is an original, above all else.

Her eyes found Finn and Quinn talking in front of the cheerleader's locker. He was attempting to convince her that glee wouldn't have such a big impact on their joint popularity, to no avail. Rachel sucked in a breath when the blonde's hazel eyes landed on her briefly. Luckily she turned back to her boyfriend.

"I'll let you touch my breast if you quit." Her words were clipped, and reached Rachel's ears clearly.

Finn perked up. "Under the shirt?" He sounded like a hopeful puppy, and Rachel knew it was over. No boy would refuse the opportunity, the privilege of being that intimately acquainted with the Ice Queen.

"Over the bra," Quinn bartered, sure of her victory.

Then the most unexpected thing happened.


	7. Chapter 7

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N: So, it's been awhile, huh? Please don't hate me! Also, please take note that I won't always follow the episodes exactly as broadcast. Thanks for all the reviews and alerts; keep 'em coming!**

Chapter 7: And there's no mountain too high

Choices. That's all life was. A series of options: accept or decline, Yes or No. Of course each action had consequences attached, but you couldn't let that stop you. It was Friday by the time this epiphany translated into action for one future star.

Rachel had taken it upon herself, as the best singer of the New Directions and a natural leader, to fix what was broken in their glee club. She invited Finn to the auditorium, citing the need for his vocals in a duet she wanted to perform. Her trusty wolf-instincts had already determined that sex would be the way to go. She would attempt to seduce the quarterback. She would help Finn Hudson cheat on his girlfriend in order to keep him in the club.

It was a foolproof plan, since he was dating the president of the Celibacy club and obviously wasn't getting any real action. He had resisted Quinn Fabray's attempt to sway him from glee club, after all. If by some miracle he suddenly decided to change his mind, she might still get a date out of it. Or a kiss, at the least. She would deal with the accompanying guilt later.

He was adorably confused upon arrival, and the seduction was almost too easy. She fed him a light (vegan) snack, and offered him some apple cider, before leaning back on the pile of comfortable cushions. His height really was advantageous, the diva realized, as she invited him closer.

"You can kiss me, if you want," she purred, looking him right in the eyes.

Finn was a typical boy and wasted no time in leaning into her reclining form. The kiss was soft and hesitant, and Rachel could feel herself flush in pleasure. The tall boy licked his lips before leaning in again. This time his mouth was more insistent, and Rachel could barely suppress a moan at the sensation. However it didn't last as the football player abruptly got to his feet, cheeks flaming.

"I've gotta go! I have to, um, meet Quinn, yeah! So, I'll see you, bye!" and he took off.

Unfortunately, their little tryst was not as private as Rachel had hoped.

She realized it as soon as she left, after clearing up the evidence of her and Finn's impromptu picnic. Her senses picked up the familiar smell, but she couldn't immediately determine who it belonged to. This would prove to be a big problem, in more ways than one.

R #GLEE# #Q

"Coach, you wanted to see me?"

Sue Sylvester took in the confident girl in front of her with a smirk. "Q, please sit. First, thank you for your prompt response to my summons. Second, are you still dating the baby-giant? And third," she held up her left hand, showing three fingers: "your ponytail could be tighter, don't you agree?"

Quinn was used to these odd mannerisms by now, and only answered the most important question: " Of course I'm still dating Finn. Is there a problem?"

"Yes, there is. You know Q, you're like a young Sue Sylvester, only not as personable. You don't make an impression. People tend to dismiss you. I've never had that problem, and you know why? Cos I'm Sue Sylvester, and I'm sue-sational."

The cheerleader cocked her head, deciphering the older woman's message; a feat only possible through lots of practice. "Are you suggesting that Finn Hudson is stepping out on me?"

"I have it on good authority," the older blonde declared. "Mine."

The girl could feel her cheeks redden in embarrassment and anger. If her quarterback-boyfriend had been anywhere in her vicinity, he would have been burned. First joining that stupid glee club, then throwing her very generous offer to fondle her breasts in her face, now this. No one made a fool of Quinn Fabray without dealing with some serious consequences. She would make him pay. Him and his whore. She would end them.

"Who?" she spat, gripping the chair to keep herself from lashing out at her coach.

R #GLEE# #Q

"Treasure trail," the blonde growled, forcefully shutting Rachel's locker, narrowly missing her hand.

The shorter girl inhaled sharply, clutching her books to her chest. Quinn had advanced on her in the hallway, and was now hovering over the singer. She could feel the cold hardness of the lockers pressing against her back, and the body heat from the irate cheerleader on her front. Rachel was only dimly aware that she was panting.

"Quinn, what are you doing?" she asked timidly, risking a quick look into intense hazel eyes. She knew better than to expect any help from her fellow students; they were all too willing to witness another Quinn Fabray spectacle.

"I should be asking you that. What are you doing with my boyfriend?" The words were hissed right into the brunette's face, and she flinched as though hit. Ah, it was 'later'. Now.

"We were merely practicing-"

She was interrupted: "Practicing how to shove your tongue down his throat?"

Quinn somehow moved even closer to the now trembling singer. Her hands were fisted in her sweater, and she was pushing the brunette harder into the lockers at her back.

"Listen, and listen well Man Hands. Stay away from my boyfriend, and stay away from me. Defy me, and I will end you, and the only show you'll be starring in will be your murder trial."

Rachel bristled, despite having no room to argue. Her guilt was obvious. "Don't be ridiculous Quinn, you can't kill me over some boy! Desist this deplorable behaviour right now, or I will be forced to report this threat to the appropriate authorities. Furthermore, it's not my fault that you failed to satisfy your boyfriend, thus forcing him to seek attention elsewhere. Namely, with me."

The hallway was suddenly impossibly quiet.

Rachel was breathing hard, surprised beyond belief at her outburst. She had never argued so vehemently with anyone, in her life, yet at the time she'd found herself unable to stop. Quinn's attack had unleashed a heretofore unknown aggression from the singer. Her heart was pounding, pulse racing wildly. She could feel her blood rushing in her veins.

The tableau was broken by the cheerleader's quiet whisper: "What the hell is wrong with your eyes, Berry?"


	8. Chapter 8

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N1: Finally up to date on my editing! Look out for future chapters, coming soon!**

Chapter 8: It all revolves around you.

"What the hell is wrong with your eyes, Berry?"

Quinn was staring at Rachel with a look of fascination, taking in the yellow glow only she could see. Luckily her words were soft enough to be completely missed by everyone else in the hallway. The two girls were stuck in their own bubble of space, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.

Rachel knew she needed to get away. She could hear her heart beating rapidly, and Quinn's as well. Something was happening, something she couldn't control if she was in a crowded hallway with Quinn Fabray staring into her wolf's eyes, and she had to get out of here before ... The blonde's eyes widened comically when Rachel growled.

By now their stand-off had attracted a lot of attention, and some of the closer observers gasped at the sound. Quinn's hands tightened their hold on Rachel even more, eliciting another growl, this one louder than the first. Rachel became aware that her wolf was growing agitated, caught between wanting to defend itself against Quinn, and defending the area of lockers they were still standing against. The crowd was too close to her territory.

Santana and Brittany forced their way through the students, intending to protect Quinn and her reputation if needed. The photos suddenly appearing on their cellphones via Jacob Ben Israel's blog had been too intimate for the Latina's liking, and she had come prepared to do damage control. However, the moment she touched Quinn's shoulder Rachel snarled at her, yellow eyes flashing.

She pulled back with a shriek. "What the effing hell?!" She watched in horror as the smaller girl bared her teeth -were those fangs?- at her, and then at the watching crowd of students. "What's wrong with you?" she yelled, eyes wide with disbelief.

"She's a wolfie, silly," Brittany said happily, clapping her hands. "Aww Q, she likes you," the taller blonde cooed, causing Rachel to huff in annoyance.

"I don't like her," she denied, rolling her eyes. At her words Quinn let go, stepping back as though burned. Hearing Rachel's actually voice words and not a growl snapped Santana out of her stupor too. She in turn snapped at everyone else:

"Get outta my face, losers, afores I smack you! There aint nothin' to see here!" Needless to say, the hallway was soon perfectly empty.

She turned to watch Rachel, arms folded and eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Care to share?"

Quinn answered, looking from Rachel to her hands, and back again. "Your eyes ... Were you actually growling?"

Brittany was nodding her head, a smile on her face. "She's a wolfie, Q. You're lucky she didn't bite you." All three girls stared at her. "What? It's totally true. Just ask Lord Tubbington."

Santana shook her head. "I don't know what happened, and frankly, I don't want to. But I definitely saw the midget's fangs, and her eyes were all kindsa whack, so I'd check myself if I were you Q. In case you caught something. C'mon, Britt, we're gonna be late for class."

Quinn watched her two friends walk away, pinkies linked as usual. Brittany turned back to offer a wave, but Santana yanked her back around. She waited until they turned the corner, before speaking. "You didn't answer my question."

But Rachel was gone.

**A/N2: I love Britt, but I foresee having trouble writing her. And Santana, those insults! Ah well, that's how we learn, I guess. Please review, tell me what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N: Thanks for all the interest everybody! I love it! Here's the next part, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 9: Come what may

Glee club meetings were held on Monday mornings before lunch, Wednesday afternoons after lunch and Fridays after school. This was unfortunately not classified information. Which explained why Rachel currently found herself facing three very pissed off cheerleaders, except that Brittany's pissed-off-face looked just like her your-shirt-is-ugly-face. Their presence did not go unnoticed.

"Hey, Quinn," said Finn, waving at his girlfriend. Rachel rolled her eyes because really? Waving? The oblivious quarterback continued, "I didn't know you were gonna be here. Oh," he exclaimed, looking excited "Are you here to join?"

Three simultaneous scoffs followed, with Brittany inhaling to ask Santana if- "No, B, we're not here to join the Lima Loser squad."

"Aww, it looks like fun, San. And I'd get to dance with you, like all the time. Please?" she begged, but Santana remained unmoved. Meanwhile:

"So, you're not here to join? Did you come to support me, cos I told you I'm not quitting, and I'm not gonna change my mind about this, Quinn."

By now, Mr Schue had joined the students congregating in the hall outside the choir room. "Hey guys. Finn, Rachel, why don't you invite your friends to join us, so we can begin today's session, huh? They'll have to audition, of course, but that won't be a big deal, so don't be nervous," he chuckled, placing an encouraging hand on Quinn's shoulder.

Rachel growled again, very softly, causing Brittany to squeal while clapping her hands.

"Oh, they're not here to join glee, Mr Schue," Finn explained. "Quinn's just trying to get me to quit, cos she thinks it's stupid or whatever." He headed into the choir room without a backward glance, eagerly eyeing the drumset, and completely missing his girlfriend's exasperated eyeroll.

"Well, in that case I have to say I'm a little disappointed Quinn. I would think you'd want to support your boyfriend, not discourage him. There's more to life than popularity you know." Mr Schue shook his head to further signify his disappintment, before motioning for Rachel to enter the room ahead of him.

"Uh yeah, whatever. We aren't done with Man-hands yet so, why don't you run along Mr Schue. Don't worry, we'll send her in once we're through. Thanks," Santana smirked. Everyone knew no one, not even a teacher would try to defy a Cheerio, especially not three of them, and especially not these three. Mr Schue simply swallowed whatever he was gonna say, and avoided looking in Rachel's direction as he too entered the choir room.

"Alone at last," Santana said. "Nowhere to hide, midget."

'Shut it, S" Quinn snapped. "I'll handle it from here. You and B can go."

"Ugh, fine" Santana sighed, "but I expect regular updates, Q. That animal practically bit me, and I won't forget. So I have to be present when you put it down, comprende?" The Latina dragged her blonde friend back down the empty hallway, intending to start her weekend.

"Bye Quinn!" Brittany called over her shoulder. "Don't let the wolfie bite her, Rachel!"

R#GLEE#Q

The second floor had many features Rachel Berry had learned to appreciate in her time at McKinley High. One of them was the almost always available girls bathrooms. a veritable sanctuary one those days when the slushies and name-calling manage to penetrate her never-ending optimism. Quinn, it appeared, knew of these advantages too.

"So, what the hell's going on, Berry?"

"You're being completely ridiculous, Quinn. I am missing an important glee meeting right now. We're supposed to finalise a song for the assembly next Friday. How am I to successfully wow the audience when I have no say in choosing a song that best highlights my extensive vocal abilities?"

Quinn took in the little singer's posture- hands on her hips- with a raised eyebrow.

"Your eyes were yellow. You growled at me, and you snarled at Santana. She swears you had fangs. Britt called you a wolfie." The blonde took one step closer with each observation. "And don't even try to deny it, troll. I saw you. I heard you. You were growling at Mr Schue earlier."

Rachel was nothing if not stubborn. "I have no idea to what you are refering, Quinn. I suggest you cease taking whatever hallucinogenic substance Coach Sylvester has her squad on, because it is clearly effecting your mental acuity. I'm as normal as you, or anyone, so if you'll excuse me, I must return to my meeting. Good day."

Quinn however was not swayed. Since physical contact seemed to her to be the common denominator in all this, she grabbed a hold of the shorter girl, much as she had earlier that day.

Almost immediately, Rachel stiffened. Her eyes slowly changed from their normal rich brown to a vibrant yellow. Quinn waited to see if anything else would happen. She could feel Rachel trembling, her breath coming in short pants. She held the other girl's defiant gaze fiercely, her expression quickly turning to shock as Rachel's teeth sharpened into fangs.

"Is this what you wanted to see?" the brunette asked, her voice coming out in a growling rumble. "Are you satisfied now?"

Quinn could only stare in mute fascination. She had dismissed Britt's words earlier, not believing in the possibility for a second, even as she remembered the sound of Rachel growling. She had seen Santana's reaction to the snarling brunette, had caught a glimpse of sharp fangs. But this wasn't a fleeting moment in a crowded hallway filled with lockers and other students. She was alone with Rachel in an empty bathroom, with no distractions or noise. She had even purposely placed them away from the mirrors to ensure this wasn't a trick.

So, what do you believe when you've eliminated every other option?


	10. Chapter 10

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N1: A little short, I know, sorry. I haven't really decided how far into Season 1 I'm gonna take this, so patience dear readers. Kinda wanna see Karofsky as a werewolf too, for some reason. Weird? Whatever happens, we'll find out together!**

Chapter 10: Come what may(2)

"Is this what you wanted to see?" the brunette asked, her voice coming out in a growling rumble. "Are you satisfied now?"

Quinn could only stare in mute fascination. She had dismissed Britt's words earlier, not believing in the possibility for a second, even as she remembered the sound of Rachel growling. She had seen Santana's reaction to the snarling brunette, had caught a glimpse of sharp fangs. But this wasn't a fleeting moment in a crowded hallway filled with lockers and other students. She was alone with Rachel in an empty bathroom, with no distractions or noise. She had even purposely placed them away from the mirrors to ensure this wasn't a trick.

So, what do you believe when you've eliminated every other option?

R#GLEE#Q

The stand-off continued. Rachel was waiting for Quinn's answer, seemingly content to stay where she was, trapped in the blonde's grasp. Her fangs were still prominent, and she knew her eyes were still burning yellow. She could feel her nails, claws really, and hoped she hadn't torn the cheerleader's clothing.

Rachel allowed her gaze to take in her captor slowly; moving from a surprisingly delicate nose, to raised eyebrows. Quinn's eyes were roaming across Rachel's face as well, strangely clear of hate and fear. This startling revelation is what spurred the small brunette into action.

"Why," she cleared her throat, voice coming out stronger, "Why aren't you scared of me?"

Quinn snorted inelegantly, finally moving away from the other girl. "Why should I be scared of you?" she asked, her tone dripping with disdain. Fear was simply not part of the HBIC's life.

"Well, um," Rachel gestured to herself: "Look at me! I'm a monster," she said, wincing internally as she recalled Shelby's reaction when she had refered to herself as such before. She turned away from Quinn, taking in her appearance in the bathroom's mirrors. "I'm an IT like you've always said."

The whispered words had the blonde cheerleader gasping loudly as she struggled to catch her breath. While it was true that most everyone (and most especially Quinn and her Cheerios) had called Rachel many names and tossed many flavoured ice beverages at her, she had never heard the other girl so affected by it. Usually nothing could faze her, and she simply soldiered through the bullying with dignity and determination. To hear her voice now, so small and filled with pain, Quinn felt a stab of remorse for all the times she had purposely hurt Rachel in the past. It was extremely jarring to see the normally confident loudmouth so subdued.

She said the first thing that came to her mind. "You're not a monster, Rachel. You're beautiful."

R#GLEE#Q

Quinn's awe-struck words would sneak up on Rachel at odd times during that weekend. She was spending it with Shelby as had become customary, enjoying the chance to learn more about her heritage. The incident would be unacknowledged at the back of her mind, her concentration wrapped up in her wolf-side, when hazel eyes shiny with unshed tears would float in front of her eyes. Then that raspy voice would fill her ears, shocking her into silence just as it had in that bathroom.

Shelby for her part would ignore these moments, waiting patiently for Rachel's wandering mind to return to reality, and they would continue as if nothing had happened. She had only mentioned it once, when Rachel zoned out on Friday night while helping to prepare their dinner.

"You can talk to me, you know," she had said, placing a soothing arm on the girl's shoulder. "Whatever's bothering you. I'm right here, sweetie."

Rachel had at first attempted to shrug it off as worry over homework, and Shelby hadn't pushed, merely offering her daughter a soft smile.

"I'm fine, really," she'd said later, on the way to bed. "But I promise to speak with you if the need should arise. Thank you for your concern." Her dreams that night were filled with the blonde's voice, assuring her over and over again. You're not a monster. You're beautiful. She had woken up on Saturday morning, still unable to believe any of it had happened at all.

Rachel had thought she knew everything worth knowing about the blonde; she was the HBIC and a pretty blonde-haired hazel-eyed bitch, who cared more about her precious reputation than her boyfriend's happiness. She could never have imagined Quinn Fabray, self-appointed leader of her very own band of tormentors, to be capable of such sincerity. Each time she replayed her breathy words, Rachel thought she heard something else: shame over her actions, honesty in the affirmation of her beauty, understanding of the pain Rachel had felt in that moment.

As the weekend progresssed, it became clear -at least to Rachel- that no one really knew Quinn, who she was behind the mask of her reputation. This made her feel inexplicably close to, and protective of the girl. Subsequently, Sunday was spent working on a way to befriend the blonde, to prove herself worthy of what she considered to be Quinn's secret. And perhaps she would have the chance to share a secret of her own.

**A/N2: One hundred followers! YAY!**


	11. Chapter 11

**COME WHAT MAY**

Chapter 11: Telling me to give you everything

The guilt hit her on her way to school on Monday morning. Here she was, prepared to tell Quinn all about her transformation, when she had been practically forcing herself on the blonde's boyfriend! Worse, they had kissed! She had helped Finn cheat on Quinn! Oh crap, Quinn knew! That's what had sparked their first confrontation, after all. The cheerleader had somehow found out about her and Finn in the auditorium, and wanted to kill her for it. How could she expect anything from Quinn now, after such deplorable behaviour? And wait a minute; didn't she want Finn anymore? Isn't that why she had lured him to the auditorium in the first place, to convince him to stay in glee-club, to be with Rachel instead of Quinn? What was she going to do now?

She could feel herself hyperventilating, and quickly pulled into the first available parking space. Unfortunately it was right next to Santana's car, and the latina had given both Brittany and Quinn a ride to school. Perfect!

"Well, look who it is!" the brunette called, smirking evilly. "Q was just talking about you, Berry."

She could see the blonde grimace in mortification. "Hey, Rachel," she greeted, offering a small smile. Brittany waved enthusiastically, before grabbing Santana's arm and pulling her away.

"Owe you, Britt" Quinn called after the pair, rolling her eyes at Santan's obvious irritation. "Sorry," she said to Rachel, waiting for her to gather her things before locking her car. "She's been teasing me the whole weekend."

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise. "You told her?" Realizing the significance of this, she winced. "Does she want to kill me? Because I'm so sorry Quinn. I don't really have that much control yet, and if I scared you that wasn't my intention, so perhaps you might call her off?" she ended uncertainly. The relationship between the two cheerleaders was very volatile, to say the least, and while Santana was the Cheerios' enforcer and Quinn their captain, the girl wouldn't take lightly to taking orders. Especially if those orders were to cease and desist.

The blonde just laughed, waving off Rachel's concern. If she noticed the strange looks this behaviour elicited from her fellow McKinley students, she gave no indication. Before Rachel knew it they were in front of her locker. She stared in bewilderment; how did they get here? Wasn't she just outside, fearing the latina's wrath? Quinn only raised an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked, still staring.

"Are you gonna cart those books around all day?" she countered, motioning at Rachel's arms. The brunette looked at the pile of textbooks and binders she was holding, then back to Quinn. What was going on, why couldn't she focus? she wondered absently. The answer of course was blatantly obvious. She was staring at it.

"Okay," the other girl drawled, shaking her head at Rachel. The confusion in her brown eyes was kinda funny, she mused. "Here, I'll open your locker for you," she said slowly, keeping her eyes on Rachel. "Now, I know we have AP English next, so why don't you keep these," and she took the remaining books carefully. Quinn checked for a reaction, before continuing: "And there we go, ready for class!"

The slam of her locker finally shocked Rachel out of her stupor.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted, staring beseechingly at Quinn. "I hadn't meant for things to go that far, I swear! I simply wanted to plant the seed, to show Finn that there was a viable alternative to well, you. Someone who didn't mind that he was in the glee-club, who in fact encouraged and treasured his involvement, and I'm really so very sorry Quinn." She was breathing hard by now, waiting for the blonde's reaction.

"I kinda broke up with Finn," was not what she had expected to hear.

"Wait, what? Did you say what I think you said, because it sounded like you said you broke up with Finn?"

Quinn shrugged. "Yeah, I did. After we talked on Friday, he came over and tried to give me an ultimatum, and I kicked him out. So, class?" she continued nonplussed. "We're gonna be late if we don't move, Rach."

This could not be happening, could it? Maybe she was still in the parking lot, hallucinating as a result of her panic attack as a result of the crushing guilt she felt at her atrocious actions with Finn. She was probably passed out in her car and was now subjected to the strange inner workings of her subconscious. Yes, that had to be it! That was the only plausible explanation, because Quinn Fabray would never carry Rachel Berry's books while walking her to class, talking about her weekend exploits with Brittany and Santana. Right?

R#GLEE#Q

The weird just kept on coming.

Quinn walked Rachel to all their shared classes, pointedly ignoring the questioning looks students and teachers alike were sending their way. Rachel for her part just took it in as best she could. It was obvious, at least to her, that this wasn't real, and therefore she tried to just go with it. Quinn was actually a good conversationalist, and very funny in a snarky, sarcastic way. She would roll her eyes in exasperation whenever Santana said something about her new-found obsession with the short brunette, but never refuted the sentiment, much to Rachel's confusion. The most interesting reaction however happened during lunch.

Finn Hudson had been hearing rumours of his ex-girlfriend's weird behaviour all day, and had finally seen what all the talk was about. Quinn was escorting Rachel around the lunch selections, apparently teasing her about the contents of her lunch-tray, when some hockey player shoulder-checked her. Immediately the cafeteria collectively held their breath. How far did this strangeness stretch? Would the truth -that it was all an elaborate prank- be revealed once and for all? Was Ice Quinn gonna stand up for the freak?

"Rachel, are you okay?" they all heard. The hockey jock, a tall blonde freshman chuckled. He had heard the stories of course, and knew the little freak was basically a free-for-all. Everyone dumped on her, and why not? She even looked pathetic, with her kid-sized clothes, and that nose! He almost wished he'd thought to grab a slushie, but he needed the money for his after-school roach.

"I'm fine Quinn," the brunette answered softly, gripping tightly to the tray in her hands. She had a feeling this would be the end of the weird association she had shared with the head cheerleader today, and she was sad to see it go. She sighed in resignation. Even if this was all in her mind, having Quinn's attention without her normally insult-laden HBIC persona had been wonderful.

"What are you- where are going? I thought we were having lunch together?" The slight whine in that question was what stopped her retreat. "Come on Rach, don't let this meat-head ruin our plans."

The meat-head just snorted. Let the faggot-spawn run off if she wanted to. Maybe she'd do them all a favour and-

The growl didn't come from Rachel this time.

"What did you say?" The voice was deceptively soft, but the jock could practically feel the icicles forming in the air. He gulped. He had NOT meant to say that out loud. The population of McKinley might have wondered about the curiosity of seeing Quinn and Rachel actually getting along, but no one had dared to test the illusion. They simply weren't stupid.

"I-I'm s-sorry," he sputtered, backing away from the pair. "I d-didn't m-mean-"

The wail effectively jump-started the noise in the cafeteria. The general consumption of food shouldn't occur in such a silent atmosphere anyway. It was abhorrent.

At their table, Brittany only nodded knowingly at her best friend. Rachel's wolfie would really like Q now!


	12. Chapter 12

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N: Re-uploading this chapter to fix the chapter numbers (even though it kinda continues on from chapter 11). Tell me what you think!**

Chapter 12: Telling me to give you everything

After their enlightening confrontation on Friday, it had been Brittany -sweet, lovable, always kind Brittany- who had spelled it out. "Rachel was obviously a wolfie," she said, dismissing Santana's scoff with an eyeroll.

They were at the latina's house for their usual weekend sleepover, and the ditzy cheerleader had answered Quinn's exclamation of "What the hell is happening to me!" in her unflappable manner. Apparently their interactions so far meant that Rachel had somehow chosen Quinn to be her partner. So now all Quinn had to do was prove to Rachel that she was the perfect choice. Because the wolf-part and the Rachel-part weren't the same part yet. But once Quinn proved that she would stand up for the Rachel-part, and accepted when the wolf-part stood up for her, things would move along towards these parts uniting. Simple.

Santana had been torn between being proud of her girlfriend for figuring it all out, and horror at what it all meant. Quinn had just grown paler with every sentence leaving the other blonde's mouth.

"Wait, how do you know all this stuff B?"

And so they had heard all about Lima's Lycan Underground. It actually explained a lot of previously incomprehensible things about their little town. It also made it so much easier for Quinn to finally admit her crush on Rachel Berry. Clearly, this was destiny.

R#GLEE#Q

The first thing to do was of course, break up with Finn. So she asked him to come over to talk, but when he showed up with his stupid ultimatum, her very satisfying yet simple "Never gonna happen, Hudson" was all it took to end that sorry relationship. Not even two seconds later, Quinn and Brittany was planning the perfect outfit for Monday, while Santana smiled indulgently, occassionally teasing her best friend about her 'intentions'. Poor Rachel wouldn't know what hit her!

Going by Rachel's reactions, Quinn's plan to prove herself worthy seemed to be working. The brunette singer was adorably flustered by the cheerleader's behaviour, and that little panic about cheating with Finn notwithstanding, the blonde found herself decidedly charmed by her.

And then that idiot in the cafeteria had to ruin everything.

Their interaction the rest of the day was strained, to say the least. Rachel was attempting to distance herself from Quinn, in some undoubtably noble way trying to give the Cheerio an out. The only problem was Quinn didn't want an out. Things finally came to a head by the time glee-club convened.

She was once again cornered by the three girls outside the choir room. Mr Schuester didn't interfere this time, having learned his lesson. He barely acknowledged Rachel's wide-eyed pleading.

"Why are you avoiding me, Rach?" Quinn asked, looking pissed off and hurt in equal measure. "Is it because I kneed that kid in the caf?"

"That was hot," Brittany said, offering her fist to her Captain. She pouted when Quinn didn't bump it with her own. Luckily Santana noticed, and offered hers. Yay!

"I don't know what your talking about," Rachel answered. She was deliberately not looking at Quinn's eyes. Unfortunately that only meant she was looking at Quinn's straining chest. Why was she so close? Is it just her or did it suddenly get hotter in here?

"Whatever, Berry," Santana snorted. "Q, me and Britts are gonna go. This is way beyond my bullshit capacity. Text me later, yeah?" And with that she dragged her bestie away from what she had dubbed the Faberry Wolf Connection.

Quinn sighed, letting go of Rachel to stare after her friends. This was so stupid. Why couldn't Rachel just take things at face-value? Ugh! Maybe Brittany was wrong and this wasn't destiny. This was just nonsense.

"You know what? I don't care. I hope you and your 'wolfie' are happy," she did air-quotes, "and that you 'unite' or whatever. See you around, Rachel."

Then she turmed around and walked away. So much for destiny.


	13. Chapter 13

**COME WHAT MAY**

**A/N1: Guess who's back! As always, my comeback is a little short. Hopefully the drought on this story will soon be permanently over though. Please enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

Chapter 13:

The Faberry Wolf Connection was a complete bust, and Santana was not happy about it. Quinn had been avoiding Rachel since the incident on Friday, and pointedly ignoring the singer when that wasn't a viable option. It needed to stop, and soon. Santana couldn't take it anymore! Brittany's sad pouting wasn't doing anything to help matters either. It seemed nothing and no one could change the stubborn blonde's mind about trying again. Which was driving the latina crazy because nobody in their right mind could resist the Britt-pout.

"Why should I keep wasting my time?" Quinn had asked when Santana tried once again to talk some sense into her head. "Just forget it guys, okay. I have." The look of disbelief on her best friend's face clearly showed Quinn that Santana wasn't buying her explanation.

"Whatever," the Cheerios captain scoffed. "I'm not doing this with you, and I'm not interested in running after Rachel Freaking Berry, begging for her attention. Fabrays don't beg for anything, ever."

And so here they were, almost three weeks later. Quinn was back to being an unbearable bitch, and Rachel was back to- _Wait. Where the hell was Berry?_

"What?" Brittany frowned at her best friend. "Were we gonna pick some berries, San? 'Cause there aren't any trees inside the school -I already checked."

Santana shook her head. "No, B, that's not what I meant." She leaned her back against her closed locker, checking the mass of bodies in the hallway. "Britts, when was the last time you actually saw Rachel?"

"Um," Brittany tapped her chin, scrunching her forehead in thought. "I can't remember," she shrugged after a moment.

"Yeah?" Santana queried, "well I can. It was on Friday, during that disgusting glee porno-musical in the gym. She flew outta there when Q was castrating Finnept with the power of her mind."

"I didn't think Q's telepathy was that strong yet," Brittany mused, surprise colouring her voice. "I mean I estimated she'd need a few more years of regular practice."

Santana nodded absently, used to the girl's peculiarities by now, while checking her cellphone. She frowned after a few seconds of staring at it. "Why don't I have the hobbit's number on here? Prank-calling her used to be a cherished Cheerios activity! I bonded with like half the squad that way."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Brittany said. "It was superfun, ut then Q deleted Rachie's number."

Santana sighed in frustration. "From all our phones?" Brittany nodded in confirmation. "Shit! Now what?"

The blonde only shrugged in response. "Maybe Rachie went on vacation?" she offered. "She was looking really stressed out lately." The blonde's eyes suddenly widened in excitement. "Maybe her wolfie made her track down her pack! Or find her mate! Oh, that's so exciting, San!"

Santana shushed her friend, eyes darting around to see who might have heard the outburst. "B, not so loud with the wolfie-stuff," she admonished her. Then: "How do you know any of this crap anyway? You never told me." The latina was actually pouting at this point.

By now their pinkies were linked as usual, and Santana allowed herself to be led after Britt. The blonde pulled her out the doors and across the football field, slowing down once they reached the bleachers. There didn't appear to be anyone else out there, although Santana had half-expected to run into Puckerman, at least. She pulled on Brittany's pinky to get her attention.

"What're we doin' here, B?"

Before she could answer, a growl came from deeper under the bleachers. Brittany just smiled at her confused best friend, not needing to answer the question anymore. Santana Lopez was a very clever girl, after all. She'd know a wolf's growl when she heard it.

**A/N2: So, what do you guys think? And who is that growling under the bleachers?**

**A/N3: I apologise once again for the length, and also the lack of actual Faberry in the chapter. Sorry, the muse is rather stingy, I guess.**


	14. Chapter 14

**COME WHAT MAY**

Chapter 14:

Santana Lopez was indeed one very smart young woman, and while she may not have as much knowledge of all things lycan the way Brittany apparently did, she could by now identify a wolf growl.

There were three of them. She knew their names, like every person in school, but not much else. Sheila, Ronnie and The Mack, also known as The Skanks. McKinley, and Lima's very own girl-gang.

"Britt, do you know these ... people?" the latina asked, turning around to face the girls. She kept steady eye contact with their apparent leader, Sheila. "Because I think we need to talk about who your friends are, after this."

The girl stepped forward. Sheila was rather heavy, especially around the shoulders, and stared down at Santana with narrowed eyes. "This is our place," she snarled.

At this time, Santana noticed that all the girls were focused on her, rather than her blonde-haired friend. _Hm, wonder what that's about?_

"Sorry," she said, feigning disinterest by studying her nails. "We must've gotten lost." She grabbed Brittany's hand, intending to leave. "Have a nice whatever, anyway." But Brittany didn't budge.

"Britt, what're you doing?" Santana asked, growing more alarmed as the three girls (werewolves?) moved closer to the cheerleaders. "We gotta go. Now!"

"What's your hurry, little Santi?" Ronnie spoke, smirking at the scowl she received. "Pierce is friends with one of our cubs. Maybe you wanna be friends too?" The other girls laughed at that, stepping closer and sniffing playfully at the by now thoroughly pissed off latina.

Santana glared at the still smirking Ronnie, before turning her gaze on Sheila and The Mack. "Okay, first of all don't ever call me that again. And I do mean ever. I'm pretty sure werewolves -or whatever the hell you are- can still feel it if I decide to go all Lima Heights on their asses." Unfortunately, this spirited response only caused the Skanks to burst out laughing some more.

It fell to Brittany to (once again) drag a frustrated and unwilling Santana away.

"Sanny, that was mean," she said at length. "Those girls are my friends, and they're really cool." The two Cheerios were back inside the school building by now, and were headed for the gym. "I know you'd like them too, if you gave them a chance."

"Those girls are freaks, B," Santana interrupted. "I don't want you hangin' out with them anymore, okay? They're dangerous." And that would have been that, at least as far as Santana was concerned. If only she had gained Quinn's invulnerability to the Brittany-pout.

"Ugh, no, not the pout," she whispered. "Fine, fine, whatever!" She threw her hands in the air in resignation, then had to stifle a squeal when Brittany grabbed her in a hug, and twirled them a few times. "Fine!" she yelled again, "just put me down now, please."

Brittany complied, grinning like a loon. "Sorry, San, I know you hate it when everyone at school think you have actual human emotions."

"And a despicable display it was," a cold voice interjected sardonically. The voice belonged to Sue Sylvester, Cheerios Coach. "Where is your other member and great disappointment? I haven't heard the sweet sounds of her striking terror into the hearts of innocent little freshman of late?" The tall blonde had her hands behind her back, and glared at Santana while waiting for an answer. As was typical, she completely ignored the third member of the Unholy Trinity.

"We were just gonna-"

"Don't care, Dominican Repulsive. Find her, and be in my office by the time I get there. You've been issued with new orders." From the glint in her eyes, Santana could tell that whatever crazy scheme Sylvester had cooked up, it would be in everyone's best interest if it failed.

"We'll be there, Coach."

R#GLEE#Q

If there was one thing Santana loved almost as much as breadsticks from Breadstix, getting one over on Quinn Fabray, her friendship with Brittany or the immense pleasure she derived from beating up lesser beings, it was being right. She kinda really wished she hadn't been right about this though.

"She finally did it. She's finally gone full-blown crazy."

They were shell-shocked, to say the least. Quinn had yet to speak, and Brittany had withdrawn into her head the minute Coach Sylvester closed the office door behind her three top Cheerios. Right now, the three girls were outside the music room. Inside they could hear the glee kids warbling their way through an eighties classic. This was not happening.

"This is not happening right now, is it?" Santana could practically feel her badass-ness fading the longer she stood in front of the music room's door. "Q, please, snap out of it," she appealed to her still catatonic Captain. "Don't make me say it, Fabray."

Brittany twirled around the two girls, waiting for them to decide whether they were committing social suicide or not. She was voting **'not'**. The music and singing coming from the room sounded really nice to her, and besides this way Rachel wouldn't be able to run or hide from Q. _Oh!_

"Rachie's in there right now!"

The scene that greeted their dramatic entrance almost made Santana burst into laughter. Luckily she controlled herself, and only allowed a devilish smirk to curl around her lips. Her badass-ness was still intact.

Quinn was standing front and center, staring down the motley crew of Ladyface Hummel, WannaBeyonce, the glasses wearing gimp, some kinda goth chick, Finnept Hudson and the one and only Rachel Manhands Berry. Curly Schue was gaping like a fish in the corner, while the piano man (snark) was patiently waiting for his next direction. It was pure hilarity, and Santana was silently cracking up.

"Maybe this won't be a complete waste of my time after all."

**A/N: I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I'm so stuck on this story! It's like trying to get bllod out of stone, seriously! But I refuse to give up. Enjoy, review, thanks!**


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